Mine-car-door fastening



(NoModel.)

41E'. C. HOGKENSMITH.

MINE CAB. DOOR PASTBNING.

Patented Nov. A16, 1897.

Tn: mams PETERS co. PuuTLlTHO., WASHINGTON. D, c.

Nrrnn STATES FRANKLIN ct HooKENsMITI-I, oF IRWIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

lVllNE-CAR-DOOR FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,938, dated November 16, 1897.

Application filed July 30, 1897. Serial No. 646,534. (No model.)

To all-whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN C. HocKEN- SMITH, of Irwin, in the county 0f Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine- Car-Door Fastenings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the acccompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.'

This invention relates` to mine-cars; and the object of the same is to provide an endgate therefor of improved construction and also an improved end-gate latch.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a car provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing. the inner side of the gate in elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical `longitudinal sectional view taken through the lcenter of the latch mechanism,

the car being shown in horizontal position in solid lines and tilted, as when dumping, in dotted lines. y Fig. 4 is a detail view of the latch-casing. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a modied form of latch-securer.

A designates the car side, and B a hingerod arranged at the top and at one end thereof. C is the swinging end-gate, provided with strap-hinges D, which preferably extend the entire vertical length of the gate and which are mounted to turn on rod B. Secured to the inner side of the gateis latch-casing The upper end of casing E is closed by the cap portion E', so that all dirt and dust are excluded from the casing and the free movement of the bolt is in no way interfered with.

Bolt I is movable vertically in barrel F, and its upper end is turned laterally at I into slot II and is there secured by pin i to the lower end of link J. This link is bent inlever being fulcrumed at one end to one of hinges D andat its opposite end extended through a vertically-elongated keeper L, secured to the other hinge D and at its extremity bent outward to form handle K. Within keeper L is a vertically-elongated spring M, bowed backward at M' to support lever K and bolt I in an elevated position or to hold the same depressed, as the case may be. The lower end-of this pin is tapered to a point, as shown, and it is adapted to extend through perforation N in draw-bar N, said perforation being in line with barrel F of latch-casing E. The bolt-perforation is continued through car-bottom A', and this opening in the latter is reamed so as to taper from its lower end upward, whereby any obstruction, such as a lump of coal, which may become lodged in the opening in the draw-bar will not be held by the opening in the car-bottom and may be readily pushed down and out of the way.

By having the latch mechanism on the inner side of the car perforation N in the drawbar occurs behindl securing-bolt n, so that the draw-bar is not weakened thereby at its projecting end where it is subjected to the strain of the coupling, as is the case where the latch mechanism is on the outer side of the gate. A further advantage is that the latch being located as described is entirely out of the way when coupling the cars.

A convenient form of catch for the latch-bolt where a heavy hook O at the end of the draw-V bar, Fig. 5, is used consists of a transverselyslottedcasting P, secured to the draw-bar, and when in position bolt I is adapted to engage slot P and securely hold the gate closed. The object of this casting is to raise the latch mechanism and permit it to swing freely over the hook-coupling, while at the same time the casting closes notch C in the door and prevents coal from passing therethrough.

The bolt-casing serves as a buffer against which the coal strikes in discharging from the car when the latter is tilted, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and hence much of the inner surface of the door is protected from.

ICO

the wear to which it would otherwise be subjected, and which in a comparatively short time would render the door useless. This protecting of the door is also materially aided by the elongated hinges D, as will be understood. As the bolt-casing and bolt mechanism are entirely within and on the rear side of the door they are not in the way of the coupling device, as is the case with many gatelatches now in use. Lever K does not project beyond either edge of the gate, and the latter may swing backward and forward at will without in any way injuring said lever. Spring M serves to hold the lever either in a raised or depressed position, and when held raised the gate may be swung without danger of injury to the latch mechanism, such as would occur were there no means provided for holding the bolt in an elevated position. In the modified construction (shown in Figs. 5 and G) the gate is so notched as to swing freely outward over the 'large hook-coupling without interference and at the same time the gate is adapted to be quite securely held when closed. The slot P being open transverse the casting P may be readily cleared of small particles of coal or dirt which may accumulate therein.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with the swinging endgate of a mine-car, of a latch mechanism on the inner side of the gate, and a latch-actuating mechanism on the outer side of the gate, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of a swinging end-gate of a mine-car, a latch-casing secured to the inner side thereof and forming a buffer for the gate as described, a latch movablein the casing and a latch-actuating mechanism, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of a swinging end-gate for a mine-car, a latch-casing secured to the inner side thereof and constituting a buifer as described, said casing being formed with a vertical bore open on its side adjacent the gate, the gate being apertured opposite the open side of the casing, a bolt movable in the casing and an actuating mechanism on the outer side of the gate and extended to the bolt through the aperture in the gate, substantially as shown and described.

4t. The combination of a swinging end-gate for a mine-car, a latch-casing secured to the inner side of the door and formed with a bolt-passage, the gate being slotted adjacent the casing, a bolt movable in the casing, an operating-lever fulcrumed to the outer side of the gate, and a link extending through the slot of the gate and connecting the bolt and the lever, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of a swinging end-gate of a mine-car, a bolt-casing secured to the inner side thereof, the bolt-casing and the gate being slotted vertically, a bolt movable longitudinally through the casing and at its upper end turned laterally into the slot in the gate, a link secured to said laterally-bent end of the bolt, said link being on the outer side of the gate, and actuating means connected with the link,substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of the swinging cndgate of a mine-car formed with a slot, a bolt on the inner side of the gate having a projection extending laterally through the slot, and actuating mechanism on the outer side of the gate operatively connected to the bolt extension, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination of a latch mechanism for a mine-ear gate, a latch-actuating level', an elongated keeper in which the lever 1e ciprocates, and an elongated laterally-yielding spring secured within the keeper and bowed between its ends to extend across the keeper and removably hold the lever in either end thereof, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination of a mine-car, a gate, and a combined buer and latch mechanism secured to the inner side of the gate and adapted to protect said side from wear and also secure the gate when closed, substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination of a mine-car including a draw-bar formed with a bolt-receiving opening, a bolt securing the draw-bar to the car-bottom between the end of the former and said opening whereby the extended end of the bar is not weakened by the opening, a swinging door, and a locking-bolt for the door adapted to enter said opening in the drawbar, substant-ially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN C. IIOCKENSMITII. lVitnesses:

J. M. NEsBIT, A. S. PATTIsoN.

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